The subject matter discussed in this section should not be assumed to be prior art merely as a result of its mention in this section. Similarly, a problem mentioned in this section or associated with the subject matter provided as background should not be assumed to have been previously recognized in the prior art. The subject matter in this section merely represents different approaches, which in and of themselves can also correspond to implementations of the claimed technology.
As the volume of information flowing on the web continues to increase, the need for automated tools that can assist users in receiving information valuable to them also increases. The information overload created by multitude of information sources, such as websites and social media sites, makes it difficult for users to know what piece of information is more suitable, relevant, or appropriate to their needs and desires. Also, a substantial portion of users' web surfing time is spent on separating information from noise.
In particular, service providers are continually challenged to deliver value and convenience to users by, for example, providing efficient search engines with high precision and low recall. One area of interest has been the development of finding and accessing desired content or search results relating to degree of separation between users. Currently, users locate content by forging through lengthy and exhausting search results. However, such methods can be time consuming and troublesome.
An opportunity arises to shift the burden of information filtering from users to automated systems and methods that automatically determine connection maps between users. Improved user experience and engagement and higher user satisfaction and retention may result.